Death Isn't So Bad
by Cruel-Ruby
Summary: Shikamaru Nara died in action, leaving his two best friends, family and lover behind. There's a twist inside, but I don't want to give anything away, so read! Not canon, including things like Sasuke and Ino being siblings. ShikaIno SasuSaku and there is an OC who plays a pretty big role. That reminds me. GaaraXOC


**Author Squawk: HELLO! This is my first story published on Fanfiction EVER, so I am very excited and very nervous... O_O; Please leave and reviews and tell me what I did wrong, what I did right, and refrain from throwing tomatoes, would you? They stain. Uhm, other than that, the only thing I am sure of is that I am BY FAR not good at keeping a schedule, so you'll have to bear with me. Though I will have free time as I spend my summer in a tent. Hehehe, well, ENJOY! =3**

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It was chilly on a late fall evening, the leaves rustling in the wind and occasionally falling to the ground below. Rain clouds threatened to entreat on the clear night, waiting in the corner of the sky for the right moment.

A young girl was sitting on the ground, her knees pulled up to her chest. She had her chin resting on her knees, and was staring blankly ahead of her. Her long blonde hair whipped in the wind, occasionally hiding her ice-blue eyes. They were rimmed with red, as she had been crying. She wasn't now though, all the tears she had left were cried hours ago.

Beside her stood a boy, his brown eyes sad as he looked at her. She didn't know he was there, and if he could help it she never would. But he had to make sure she was alright, or at least that she would be… One day.

His own hair blew in the wind, it was dark brown and fell almost to his shoulders. Normally he would wear it in a ponytail, but his elastic was gone. Or rather, around the girl's wrist. She played with it idly every now and then, snapping it against her wrist lightly.

Tearing his eyes away from the girl he looked around her. She was sitting next to a grey stone, lined up with hundreds of others like it in the vast field. It was a headstone for a grave- his. But it was only that. Like hundreds of Shinobi killed in action, Shikamaru Nara's body had never made it home. So his friends, family, and fiancée were left without a way to truly honor him. Ino Nara. Oh how he longed to call her that just once. Even now as he stood beside her, a dead man, he wanted to say it. He wanted to call out to her, to tell her that was still here... But he couldn't. He had to protect her, and if this was the way... Then he'd do it. He'd have to. No matter how much it hurt him, and most of all… Her.

He closed his eyes as a single tear slid down his cheek, hanging onto his chin for a moment before falling to the ground. As if on cue it started to rain, staining the ground a dark green. Ino hardly noticed. She was lost in her thoughts, thoughts of her boy with dark brown hair and warm chocolate eyes. The boy she grew up with. Her best friend. Her boyfriend. Her lover. And although he'd never know it, the father of her child. Oh how she wished she could have told him! But she didn't want to worry him before his mission, especially one that could get him killed.

Ino's body shuddered and she began to sob again, adding to the anguish of the boy beside her. He turned away from her, unable to bear the thought of causing her pain. He started to walk away, but stopped short after a few steps.

"Shika." He whipped around. Ino had her forehead against her knees, her whole body shaking. "Shika, why?" She said quietly. "Why? WHY?" She shouted. "Why did you have to leave me, Shikamaru?" Shikamaru flinched. His eyes shone with intense pain-and tears-as he turned from her again, leaving as quickly as he could without her noticing. How could he go through with this? He couldn't live with hurting her this much.

The rain and wind picked up suddenly, and Ino thought she heard it calling to her. No, not it, HIM. She looked up, blinking the tears out of her eyes so she could see. There was a figure there, shadowed by the rain and wind. Was it him? It couldn't be, he was gone. But…. She'd know that voice anywhere. She opened her mouth to call out, when the figure moved towards her.

"Ino what are you doing here?" Her brother Sasuke came out of the shadows, kneeling down next to her. His onyx eyes were laden with pain and the unshed tears he'd hidden from his sister.

"What does it matter, Sasuke….." She said, putting her chin back on her knees. She shivered, as she was only wearing a t-shirt and jeans. Her feet were bare. Sasuke noticed this and took off his jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders.

"We should get home Ino." he said softly. Ino didn't answer him. Her thoughts were far away again. Sasuke sighed and sat down next to her. He put his arms around her and pulled her into him, holding her close. She let him, resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes. Sasuke looked over at the headstone, and could barely make out the words he knew well:

_Shikamaru Nara_

_Killed in action September 22__nd_

_Aged 17_

Sasuke sighed and closed his eyes. He had been the last person to see Shikamaru that day; he felt as though his best friend's death was his fault. That he could have done something…

"_You sure this is the right way to do it?" Sasuke asked. Shikamaru sat beside him, his hands forming a perfect circle in his lap as he looked at the sky. It was almost midnight, and they needed a way to get through the enemy defense to be able to get inside and rescue the daughter of the Raikage. Shikamaru had (after much thought) suggested they split up in teams to defeat the enemy._

"_Positive…" Shikamaru said slowly. He was still thinking, going over in his head every possibility of the plan he had chosen._

"_You don't sound a hundred percent on it."_

"_I'm not." Sasuke looked at his best friend. His eyes were clouded._

"_So why did you choose this option then? You NEVER pick something unless you're one hundred percent positive it will work."_

"_I know."_

"_So, think of a better option."_

"_There isn't one." Shikamaru sighed, looking down at Sasuke. He unfolded his hands. "I can't think of anything that….. Could possibly be any better than this." Sasuke frowned._

"_Okay…. If this is the best option, I'll have to trust your judgment."_

"_I would hope you already do."_

"_Oh I do. I'm just… Worried."_

"_I'm sorry I can't do better." Shikamaru looked back up at the clouds. He seemed very deep in thought for a moment. When he looked back at Sasuke, his eyes were troubled. "But this is the best I've got." He said. Sasuke nodded._

"_Alright. Then we'll do it."_

He should have never agreed. He sensed that Shikamaru knew that it was as far from perfect as plans could get, but he never said anything, so… Sasuke assumed he didn't feel too strongly about it. But as it turns out, they were outnumbered. And halfway through a battle with Shikamaru Sasuke got injured, making him unable to help his best friend. The last time Sasuke saw Shikamaru, he was already losing.

Though it was raining, Ino felt Sasuke's tears hitting the top of her head. She didn't let him know she knew. She knew everything… She knew how guilty he felt about it all… She knew how much pain he was in; losing his best friend like that.

She wrapped her arms around Sasuke, hugging him tightly. He didn't have to know she knew, just that she cared.

"Sasuke?" Ino asked softly.

"Y-yeah?"

"Let's…. Let's go home."

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A rough hand shoved Shikamaru against a tree, holding him there by a fistful of his shirt.

"What were you thinking?" The owner of the hand asked, his face in the shadows. Shikamaru knew the voice though, he was the man responsible for this little plot. "You could have been seen!"

"I wasn't."

"But you COULD have. Have you forgotten already? We let you live because we're nice, do you really think it would take all that much for me to up and decide to kill you?"

"I haven't forgotten anything. I still don't see the point of all of this." Without warning the man punched Shikamaru hard in the gut, letting go of his shirt at the same time. Shikamaru slid down the tree to the ground, doubling over in pain.

"Point?" The man asked, leaning down to Shikamaru's level. "Wouldn't you like to know the POINT." He paused "Mess up again and I won't be so nice." The man stood up straight and gave Shikamaru a swift kick to the side of the head. Shikamaru slid sideways, unconscious before he hit the ground.

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**More squawking: Please please PLEASE review! I'd LOVE to have your opinion on the story! =3**


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